Buffy folded her arms over her chest and sighed. She hated time limits. She chose to go to her right first. She passed a couple of doors, all of which were locked tight. Buffy couldn't even kick them down. She didn't like the thought of that; it reminded her of the test the Watcher's Council conducted on her eighteenth birthday by taking away all her Slayer strength. Then it occurred to her. She depended on her strength and skills and it would be horrifying if she couldn't use them. It wasn't her worst nightmare, but it was a fear of hers. Could Julian turn whatever fears she had in her subconscious against her? Could he read minds? She decided to ask him if she saw him again. The little creep… who is also really, really hot.

Buffy walked on some more, and eventually she came to a dead end. "Well that is just great. I wasted like five minutes running into a wall. Stupid dimensional house thingies."

While walking the in the other direction she heard a clock chiming. It chimed eleven times and Buffy froze. "Eleven! How long were we out?"

"For about an hour." The voice came from behind her.

Buffy turned around and faced Julian. Looking at him sent a slight shock through her.

Julian smiled at her look of uneasiness. "You look so beautiful when you sleep."

"You're wasting my time." Buffy said, arms crossed.

Julian ignored her, and continued. "But then again, you're always beautiful. There are other girls more beautiful, of course ­"

"Hey!" Buffy said, feeling offended.

"But you have a beauty all of your own. A beauty that can't be touched. A confidence that can get the best of you at times." Julian had circled completely around her until he was standing in the way of where Buffy was headed.

"So, are you complementing me or insulting me?" Buffy asked while feeling very confused.

"Don't you know?" Julian's voice was mesmerizing; it made Buffy want to just fall right into his arms, but it also made her want to flee in the other direction, or hit him for answering questions with questions.

"This is sweet, it really is. But I want to know, why am I the key player? Why am I the one getting the crazy-mixy-signal chats? Why do you want us to play this game? Why haven't you just killed us, or me ­ it is me you want right?"

Julian smirked. "Yes, it is you I want, but I don't want to kill you. What a waste. When I saw you, I knew I had to have you. I didn't want to kill you, I wanted to cherish you. So I decided I would give you a chance. You are strong willed and confident. When you lose you'll have to realize it was your failure and I won fairly. You know the rules already, and you took the oath."

"Oh please! When you win? Obviously you don't know me well enough, I always pull through. I may sacrifice things at times, but I don't lose easily. I have died twice, buddy, and I still won." Buffy scowled.

"Are your friends and your sister worth sacrificing? You've died for your sister once, I'm sure you wouldn't give her up now."

Buffy was in his face in an instant. "If you put one finger on my sister, I'll ­"

"You'll what? You'll stake me?" Julian teased. "How about this. I'll give you a riddle, and if you can give me the answer, your sister can go free." Julian's eyes flashed dangerously.

"Will she be able to come back in after me?"

"No. She won't be able to regain access into the game."

Buffy sighed. "Fine then, what's the riddle?"

Julian's smile was sinister. "Okay, listen closely." Suspenseful music could be silently heard in the background. And then he began:

I am mindless, yet demanding.

I am fragile although I am solid.

I am more precious than your mind.

I see through you although I am blind.

Buffy blinked. "That's it? That's the big riddle that causes the sinister glint in your eyes and the smirk and the spine-tingling music ­ why was there music?"

"I thought the music added a nice touch. So, can you give me the answer?" Julian asked; he looked amused.

"Um, let me get back to you on that." Buffy said.

Julian's temperament seemed to change before Buffy's very eyes. "Why would you mock something you can not answer? This game is serious; if you can't take it seriously it only proves my point from earlier."

"Which was what ­ how you are going to win? I am The Slayer. I kill demons, and oh yeah, you're a demon. I'm gonna win."

Julian's jaw clenched. "Apparently you don't understand what you are dealing with. Think about that riddle. Next time I might not be so lineate. Next time you infuriate me, one of your friends die."

Buffy went to kick him but he caught her foot and flipped her across the hall about fifteen feet. When Buffy got back up, Julian was gone.

"Damn it. I hate when guys just poof on me." She looked around her as she called out, "It's not very sporting."

Buffy continued down the hall mumbling "If he throws me one more time..."